Splendid Europe - End Amsterdam, Classic Group

Tour Type: Discovery
Brochure Type: IV Europe Summer 2023 v2

Follow in the footsteps of the gladiators as you see the Colosseum in Rome, take in the regal history of the Habsburgs at Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna and see the Rhine Valley sights on the road to Konigswinter, on this 2-week guided tour. From the iconic attractions of Rome and the cultural gems of the Vatican, your expert led voyage sets out across Europe, stopping for sunset cocktails and dinner in Venice, and sightseeing in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana. In Vienna, enjoy the exclusive Insight Choice of Viennese Waltz dance lessons-set to the tunes of Mozart's masterpieces, or sample sachertorte at a traditional Viennese cafe, washed down with a specially selected coffee. End your adventure with a private Rhine Castle visit paired with regional wines and a Celebration Dinner in Amsterdam.

Choice Highlights
  • Choose between two carefully selected activities
  • Vienna: Listen to the musical masterpiece of Mozart and learn the Viennese Waltz, in an inclusive workshop designed to support the visually impaired community. Unique to Insight Guests, 'Dancing without Barriers' takes place in the dark, in a specially designed sensory studio, and will be a unique experience for all your senses. This specifically designed workshop focuses on inclusion and education around the topic of visual impairment. Through their foundation the organisation supports children from disadvantaged family and children with a visual impairment. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities. Alternatively, visit a traditional Viennese cafe to enjoy local specialties of coffee and sachertorte.
  • Vienna: Visit a traditional coffeehouse to enjoy Viennese specialities of coffee and Sachertorte.
  • Choose between two carefully selected activities
  • Stanserhorn: Walk along beautiful scenic pathways at the summit of Mount Stanserhorn for a chance to see native animals like marmots.
  • Stanserhorn: Embark on a spectacular journey to the summit of Mount Stanserhorn and appreciate unrivalled views of snow-capped peaks. Meet a Swiss ranger and learn about the local wildlife and flora over a conservation talk. Learn about the conservation of the local ecosystem and local fauna from a Swiss ranger. Hear about what it takes to preserve the wildlife throughout the year and in all weather. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life On Land. Alternatively, walk along beautiful scenic pathways for a chance to see native animals like marmots.
Well-being
  • Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
  • Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19.All Travel Directors, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
  • We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
  • Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Travel Director
  • "I really love about showing guests the huge variety that Italy has to offer, from quaint countryside villages to cities full of stupendous art and architecture."
  • "It's magical to see how a group of guests comes together over the course of our trip. I can always tell when that's happening because suddenly the enthusiasm is palpable."
  • "One thing I really love about showing guests about Italy is how art and beauty can be found around every corner of some of Italy's cities, which are real open air museums."
Authentic Dining
  • Rome: Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travellers at a uniquely Roman local restaurant.
  • Venice: In St Marks Square at sunset, long after the day-trippers have gone to their mainland hotels, sip cocktails canal-side before dinner at a local restaurant.
  • Vienna: Visit a traditional coffeehouse to enjoy Viennese specialities of coffee and Sachertorte.
  • Lucerne: Choose from a selection of restaurants on your Dine-Around Evening and hand-pick your preferred ambience, cuisine and drinks for an intimate culinary experience.
  • Amsterdam: Toast the culmination of your travels during a fabulous Celebration Dinner at a local restaurant.
  • Dining Summary: 5 Dinner with Wine (DW), and 13 Breakfast (B)
Insight Experiences
  • Vatican: Gain priority access into the Vatican Museums and admire the famous Bramante Staircase. Witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and view the splendid dome of St. Peter's Basilica.
  • Rhineland: The beautiful scenery of the Rhine River is punctuated by the many castles dotted along its banks. Delight in a private estate viewing of one of these Rhineland castles and learn more about these living cultural monuments located along the Middle Rhine.
Top Rated Highlights
  • Rome: During your orientation with you Travel Director see the medieval buildings, including Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches, scattered throughout the city.
  • Venice: With your Travel Director cruise to St. Mark's Square and see the Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Basilica.
  • Ljubljana: Explore this elegant capital with your Local Expert, to see the castle City Hall, Cathedral of St Nicholas and Triple Bridge.
  • Maribor: Led by your Travel Director, explore this charming city, the second largest in Slovenia. Take a moment to appreciate the blend of old and new architecture.
  • Vienna: Walk through the first district, Inner Stadt, as your Local Expert reveals why this is the historic core of the city. You will also tour the Ring Road to see the Hofburg Imperial Residence, Opera House, Parliament Building and Karlskirche.
  • Salzburg: Join your Local Expert to visit the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace and Residence Square - both locations used in 'The Sound of Music.' You will also see the imposing fortress, the immense cathedral and Mozart's birthplace on the lively Getreidegasse.
  • Innsbruck: Nestled amidst majestic mountains, Innsbruck is a beautiful city offering a unique combination of nature, history, and culture. Stroll the streets of the picturesque Old Town, with your Travel Director, learn about its history and admire the Baroque and Gothic architecture.
  • Vaduz: Admire the Royal family's residence, Vaduz Castle, which overlooks the capital and is surrounded by year-round snow peaked mountains.
  • Lucerne: During your orientation with your Travel Director, see the emotive Lion Monument, Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge.
  • Stanserhorn: Walk along beautiful scenic pathways at the summit of Mount Stanserhorn for a chance to see native animals like marmots.
  • Stanserhorn: Journey to the top of Mount Stanserhorn on a panoramic, open-top cable car powered by solar energy, and enjoy spectacular views from the summit.
  • Amsterdam: Cruise along the old waterways, discovering the architectural gems of the old city, including mansions dating from the Golden Age of the 17th Century.
Make Travel Matter
  • Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft. The workshop advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
  • Vienna: Listen to the musical masterpiece of Mozart and learn the Viennese Waltz, in an inclusive workshop designed to support the visually impaired community. Unique to Insight Guests, 'Dancing without Barriers' takes place in the dark, in a specially designed sensory studio, and will be a unique experience for all your senses. This specifically designed workshop focuses on inclusion and education around the topic of visual impairment. Through their foundation the organisation supports children from disadvantaged family and children with a visual impairment. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities. Alternatively, visit a traditional Viennese cafe to enjoy local specialties of coffee and sachertorte.
  • Stanserhorn: Embark on a spectacular journey to the summit of Mount Stanserhorn and appreciate unrivalled views of snow-capped peaks. Meet a Swiss ranger and learn about the local wildlife and flora over a conservation talk. Learn about the conservation of the local ecosystem and local fauna from a Swiss ranger. Hear about what it takes to preserve the wildlife throughout the year and in all weather. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life On Land. Alternatively, walk along beautiful scenic pathways for a chance to see native animals like marmots.
Additional Included Highlights
  • Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
  • Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
  • We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
  • Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
  • Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
  • From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
  • You may purchase arrival transfers from London Heathrow and Gatwick airports on arrival days, or when additional nights accommodation has been booked through Insight Vacations. If your departure flights are as per the itinerary end dates, departure transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way to the airport. Alternatively, please make your own way from/to the airport.

Call (479) 444-3366 for more information or to book today! Mention code 16910902

Tour Operator
Insight Vacations
Duration
14 Days
Escorted
Escorted - Yes
DayDestinationDescription
Day 1RomeWelcome to the Eternal City of Rome: Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Transfers depart from Rome's Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport for your hotel at 09:30, 12:30 and 15:30.Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director at 17:30, before getting to know your fellow travellers over a delicious Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
Veneto Palace Hotel, Rome.
Day 2RomeExploring Papal Rome: A Local Expert introduces the grandeur of the city, starting with the Vatican State, the richest community on the world. Visit the Vatican Museums, full of priceless treasures collected by the Popes. Insight provides special VIP, fast-tracked entry to avoid the crowds, together with behind-the-scenes access to the Bramante Staircase - a marvel of Renaissance architecture normally off-limits to the general public. Once inside the Sistine Chapel, admire Michelangelo's famous ceiling. Next door, visit St. Peter's Basilica to admire Michelangelo's emotive 'Pieta' and see Bernini's intricately carved Papal Altar. The rest of the day is yours to shop in the trendy boutiques or relax at a sidewalk cafe. Perhaps join an Optional Experience to visit the Colosseum, the scene of many gladiatorial contests, and see the Roman Forum?
Veneto Palace Hotel, Rome.
Day 3RomeRome at Leisure Relaxed Start: The day is yours to enjoy Rome at your own pace. Perhaps take an optional experience to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, frozen in time when it was engulfed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Alternatively, spend some time in the boutiques of the Via del Corso, the Via Nazionale or the elegant designer stores near the Spanish Steps? As night falls, why not sip on prosecco at a sidewalk cafe in Piazza Navona - the Living Room of Rome - and enjoy life's pageantry pass by?
Veneto Palace Hotel, Rome.
Day 4VeniceAutostrada del Sole to Venice: Journey through peaceful Tuscan landscapes, to descend past Bologna into the fertile Valley of the River Po.Arrive at the glorious city of Venice by water taxi and savour a cocktail at sunset whilst you are serenaded by an ensemble of talented musicians, long after the day-trippers have returned to their mainland hotels, before enjoying dinner at a local restaurant.
Eurostars Residenza Cannaregio, Venice.
Day 5VeniceVenice and the Magic of La Serenissima: Wake up ready to embrace this romantic city. Admire the Doge's Palace and its adjoining Bridge of Sighs. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience as you witness the skill of glassblowers on a visit to a traditional arts centre. before taking a private cruise to St. Mark's Square where St. Mark's Basilica exudes the city's former wealth and power.
Eurostars Residenza Cannaregio, Venice.
Day 6LjubljanaVenice to elegant Ljubljana Relaxed Start: Depart Venice by water taxi and continue your journey to the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. A Local Expert shows you including Prešeren square with the Triple bridge, baroque Franciscan Church and and the lively banks of Ljubljanica river.
Hotel Lev Ljubljana.
Day 7ViennaLjubljana to Vienna: Follow the Drava River and cross over the Slovenian border to reach the 700-year-old university town of Maribor. Continue past Graz through Styria's forested mountains and on to Vienna.
Hilton Vienna Park.
Day 8Vienna and the HabsburgsVienna and the Habsburgs Relaxed Start: In the morning, there is the option to join a private tour of Maria Theresa's Schonbrunn Palace and formal gardens. Later, get your camera ready for a drive around the famous Ring Road. This grand boulevard, built alongside the lines of the old city walls, showcases many of the capitol's architectural masterpieces, including the Opera House, magnificent Hofburg Imperial Residence and Parliament. Later, join your Local Expert for a walk through Innere Stadt, the first district and historic core of Vienna. Explore Vienna with Insight Choice. Choose to visit to a traditional Viennese cafe to enjoy local specialities of coffee and Sachertorte. Alternatively, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience during an inclusive workshop and take to the floor in a Viennese Waltz dance workshop designed to support the visually impaired community.
Hilton Vienna Park.
Day 9InnsbruckSalzburg and on to Innsbruck: Pass the impressive Benedictine monastery of Melk before reaching the enchanting city of Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart and the iconic musical 'The Sound of Music'. A Local Expert will show you the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace, including the fountains and statues where the 'Do, Re, Mi' scene was filmed. Cross Residence Square with its fountain, where Maria sings 'I Have Confidence' and see the imposing fortress, the immense cathedral and Mozart's birthplace on the lively Getreidegasse. Perhaps join an excursion to the famous Eagle's Nest? Continue to the mountain ringed Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck to see the Golden Roof and Imperial Palace.
AC Hotel Innsbruck.
Day 10LucerneLiechtenstein to Lucerne Relaxed Start: Journey past flower-filled meadows and picturesque chalet-style villages to the Principality of Liechtenstein. Spend some time in its tiny capital, Vaduz, then cross into Switzerland and through glorious mountains to lakeside Lucerne. On arrival, visit Lucerne's proud Lion Monument, carved into a limestone cliff and dedicated to the heroic Swiss Guards who died defending King Louis XVI during the French Revolution.
Hotel Astoria, Lucerne.
Day 11Lucerne's Lakes, Mountains and LionLucerne's Lakes, Mountains and Lion: In the morning, embark on a scenic journey by funicular railway and open-top cable car to the summit of the stunning Mount Stanserhorn. Take in the pristine mountain air and, on a clear day, witness views as far as Alsace and the Black Forest in Germany. Explore Mount Stanserhorn with Insight Choice. Choose to take a walk along beautiful scenic pathways for a chance to see marmots and other native animals. Alternatively, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience and hear a conservation talk by a Swiss ranger, to learn about local wildlife and flora. Upon return to Lucerne, take some time to stroll across the covered Chapel Bridge and see the baroque Jesuit church. The rest of the day is at leisure to shop for fine watches and delectable chocolates. Tonight, enjoy a fine selection of restaurants to choose from for your Dine-Around Evening.
Hotel Astoria, Lucerne.
Day 12KonigswinterLegends along the Rhine: Enjoy travelling through Germany and follow the Rhine Valley north to Konigswinter.
Maritim Hotel Konigswinter.
Day 13The Canals of AmsterdamThe Canals of Amsterdam: Delight in a private estate viewing of one of the famous Rhineland castles and learn more about these living cultural monuments situated along the Middle Rhine over a glass of wine. Continue your travels to Amsterdam. The best way to see this remarkable city is from the water as you cruise through the canal district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire the elegant merchant houses from the 16th and 17th centuries, their facades are a reflection of when trade flourished during Amsterdam's Golden Age. Relax as you pass stunning gables, beautiful churches and the iconic Magere Brug, better known as the Skinny Bridge. In the evening, toast your adventure and new-found friends during a Celebration Dinner at a local restaurant.
Grand Hotel Amrath Amsterdam.
Day 14AmsterdamDepart Amsterdam: After breakfast, transfers arrive at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport at 08:00 and 10:00.
Dates/Pricing

Click Quote or call us to get additional information on your chosen travel date. Special offers or competitive pricing may be available!

DatePrice / DescriptionQuote
 Contact us for detailsQuote
Disclaimer
Twin prices are per person.

- These prices are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking.
- All tour information is correct at time of tours going live, however is subject to change, please confirm all details at time of booking.
- For full terms and conditions, please refer to our Conditions page.
- Hotel Class Key: D: Deluxe SF: Superior First Class F: First Class
  
Online Agency Travel Websites